SUSAN MARIONNEAUX LA RIVIERE graduated with a BA in Mass Communications from Arizona State University, majoring in journalism and minoring in art. After graduating from college, she drove to San Francisco and earned a living as a professional fashion model and modeling instructor for the Grimme’ Modeling Agency. In San Francisco, she married Bud Applebaum who became a sales rep in Washington state for Levi Strauss. Mara and Mimi Applebaum are their daughters. After thirteen years, she became a single mother and owned and operated The Nursery School Barn for three years. Susan completed her M.Ed and taught creative writing, English 101-102, art in education, drawing,   cross-cultural communication, interpersonal communication,   and speech at Heritage College and speech at Yakima Valley Community College. During her teaching career, she also worked as a correspondent and photographer for the Yakima Herald Republic and was an investigator and legal writer for a local personal injury lawyer. She was a volunteer at the Yakima Valley Museum reproducing and enhancing old photos. She married Larry La Riviere in 2002. Larry has a band called: Larry La Riviere and The Bayou Boys. Together, they have co-written and recorded several Cajun-zydeco songs with Master Trak Enterprises, MTE, in Crowley, Louisisana. The couple plan to record six more songs with MTE this year and come out with a CD called: Gator Woman in 2008.   Troubadour is   Susan’s first book and she has two more books in the works.